Jack Reacher authors Lee Child and Andrew Child are heading to Carlisle for a special launch-night appearance at the Old Fire Station on Tuesday 20 October 2026.
The timing could hardly be better for Reacher fans. Their new novel, Chain Reaction, is officially published that day, and the Carlisle appearance will combine a live conversation about the book with a signing afterwards.
It will also open the 2026 programme for Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival, which runs across Carlisle from 20 October into November.
A new Jack Reacher novel on launch day
Chain Reaction is the 31st novel in the Jack Reacher series and the seventh Reacher collaboration between Lee and his younger brother Andrew.
The new thriller sees General Susan Turner seek Reacher's help after a member of her team is murdered while working covertly. The trail leads to the remote town of Summertown, Colorado, where data centres, solar farms and a tiny population provide the backdrop to the latest Reacher investigation.
The Carlisle event therefore offers something a little different from a standard touring author talk. Readers will be hearing from Lee and Andrew on the actual day the book reaches shelves.
When and where?
The event takes place at Old Fire Station on Peter Street in Carlisle.
- Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026
- Venue and bar open: 6.45pm
- Doors: 7pm
- Interview: 7.30pm to 8.30pm
- Afterwards: Lee and Andrew Child book signing
- Format: seated
- Age restriction: 14+
See the full Cumbria Guru event listing for Lee and Andrew Child in Carlisle.
How much are tickets?
Tickets are being sold as book packages, so a copy of Chain Reaction is included.
- One book + one ticket: £22
- One book + two tickets: £30
- Under 25 book + ticket: £20
- Under 25 book + two tickets: £26
Tickets are currently on sale through the official Borderlines ticketing system operated through Tullie DigiTickets.
Check current ticket availability.
Lee Child's Lake District connection
There is an extra local angle to the Carlisle appearance. Lee Child was born in Coventry and raised in Birmingham, but his current UK author biography identifies England's Lake District as his home.
That makes a major Reacher launch event in Carlisle particularly well suited to Borderlines. The festival has built its programme around bringing established writers and new voices into venues around the city, and Lee and Andrew Child provide a high-profile opening night for 2026.
Planning an evening visit
If you are driving, pay attention to the closing time of the car park rather than simply choosing the closest space.
Castle Car Park currently closes to vehicle access at 8pm, which is before the talk finishes and well before anyone staying for the signing is likely to leave.
West Walls Car Park currently remains accessible until 11pm, while Viaduct Car Park is accessible 24 hours. Parking rules and access can change, so check the signs when you arrive.
Accessibility and younger visitors
The Old Fire Station's bar and main event space are on the ground floor and the venue has an accessible toilet. For seated events, the venue asks wheelchair users and visitors needing assistance to arrive at least 15 minutes before doors.
The minimum age is 14. Visitors aged 14 or 15 need an accompanying adult, while 16 and 17-year-olds may attend but must leave once the event has finished.
A big autumn date for Carlisle
For local readers, this has the ingredients to be one of the most popular Borderlines dates of the year: a globally recognised crime writer, a brand-new Jack Reacher novel, a publication-day appearance and the chance to have the book signed afterwards.
If you want to go, booking early makes sense rather than waiting until October.
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